More Tales Of The (Fried) Turkey

One of the very first Short Orders I wrote was The Tale Of The (Fried) Turkey, a defense of my favorite method for cooking said birds and an introduction to the method for those unversed. It went over well, and over the last year I've met many of you out there who no longer bake or grill your Thanksgiving birds.

Now, I must confess, I DO still love a brined and roasted turkey, with tasty aromatics in the body cavity. This year, I'll be cooking for the whole family and will be doing one of each, fried and roasted.

One of my greatest allies in the quest to introduce the world to fried turkey has been Rick Layne, of Cajun's Choice, purveyor of the finest line of Cajun seasonings and sauces in the known universe. Rick has a true love for Cajun cooking, and the devotion shows in all the products. If you're lucky enough to be able to get them in your local grocery stores, I recommend buying by the case. If you're not, he's got a handy online store set up to satisfy all your spicy needs.

And so, without further ado, and with a few additions from yours truly, here's Rick's take on our new holiday favorite:

This is a unique Southern recipe for a delicious turkey. The marinade recipe used here can be customized by adding different herbs or flavorings to infuse other flavors into your turkey. It's recommended that you lightly cook your marinade by simmering in a small sauce pan for 10 minutes to allow all of your flavors to blend. Be sure to let your marinade cool before injecting to prevent spoilage of your turkey.

First, make sure you have the right equipment. You will need a propane burner (camp stoves will not work) and a pot to fry the turkey. You can find these at most large sporting goods stores. The pot should be deep enough to hold the oil and turkey and allow space for the oil to bubble while cooking. It should come with a "cradle" to raise and lower the turkey into the oil and a thermometer to continually monitor the temperature of the oil (very important). Most turkey pots have a pre-punched circle in the lid that, when you punch it out, gives you a neat little hole through which you can insert the long probe of the oil thermometer. It will require about 3 to 4 gallons of peanut oil to completely submerge the turkey. You'll also need a cooking syringe that you can find at a high quality kitchen supply store.

Before you start the cooking process, while the turkey is still wrapped, place it in your cooking pot and fill the pot with water to cover the turkey by about 1 inch. Remove the turkey from the pot. Make a note (I run a tape measure or yardstick down from the lip of the pot) of the fluid level without the turkey in the pot. That's how much oil you'll need in the pot to cook the turkey! This removes the guesswork of using the pre-marked "fill line" on the pot.

A small to medium size turkey(10 to 13 pounds) works best for frying. When buying a frozen turkey, be sure to allow enough time for the turkey to be thawed a full day before you're ready to fry it. The day before you're to fry the turkey prepare a marinade of the following:

4 oz. worcestershire sauce
2 oz. lemon juice
2 oz. white or dry vermouth or white wine
1 ½ tbsp. Cajun's Choice Creole Seasoning
2 tsp. Maggi Liquid Seasoning or Kitchen Bouquet Liquid Seasoning
1 ½ tsp. liquid garlic seasoning
1 ½ tsp. liquid onion seasoning

Mix all above ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Allow this mixture to cool to room temperature.

Using the cooking syringe, inject approximately 1 ½ ounces of marinade into each thigh, 1 ½ ounces into each breast and ¾ of an ounce into each leg. When injecting turkey, puncture the thigh/breast/leg as few times as possible to avoid losing natural juices during cooking. Pivot the needle from the same puncture hole inside the turkey to spread marinade through as much of the meat of the turkey as possible, being careful not to bend or break needle off syringe. Inject any leftover marinade into the "drumsticks" of the wings, the back and the leg joints.

After injecting turkey, sprinkle the outside and cavity of the turkey generously with Cajun's Choice Creole Seasoning. Refrigerate overnight to let the marinade and seasoning permeate the turkey. Remove turkey from refrigeration approximately three hours before cooking and let sit at room temperature.

Use enough oil to cover turkey while leaving enough head space so oil will not bubble over when the turkey is added. Sufficient head space is very important to avoid a fire hazard. Heat oil to 360° Fahrenheit. Dry any excess moisture from the turkey and place it on the cradle. Carefully lower the turkey into hot oil. Cover pot to prevent oil from splashing. Maintain temperature at 350° and cook for 3 ½ minutes per pound.

When done, turn off fire. Remove turkey and let drain. Carve and enjoy!!